Graph of the Intermittent Time Period

2010 is a stark contrast to previous seasons as the Phillies have dealt with injury after injury. Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero started the season on the disabled list due to off-season flexor tendon surgery; Lidge has since returned due to elbow inflammation. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins hasn’t been able to keep his calf in working order, first with a grade-two strain, more recently with a grade-one. Joe Blanton started the year on the shelf as well with a left oblique strain, and J.A. Happ soon joined him with a left forearm strain. Ryan Madson got angry and kicked a folding chair, breaking his right big toe. And bench players Brian Schneider and Juan Castro dealt with strains of their own of the left Achilles and the left hamstring respectively. (Carlos Ruiz is also hurting.)

It’s been a struggle for sure, but the Phillies still find themselves three games ahead in the tightly-bunched NL East, eight games above .500. Charlie Manuel came into the season expecting to use a lineup of Rollins-Polanco-Utley-Howard-Werth-Ibanez-Victorino-Catcher-Pitcher but has only used that order once after April 12. Even worse, Manuel’s top-two options for the closer’s role have gone down in Lidge and Madson, forcing Jose Contreras to step up — something he has handled with great aplomb.

The blue bars indicate the amount of money each player would have earned if he had “contributed” in each of the team’s first 45 games. The red bars indicate the amount of money each player has collected while sitting on the disabled list (games missed times game salary).

Overall, the eight players on the list are collectively owed $9.69 million through 45 games but have only been healthy enough to earn $3.61 million of it (37%). The 28 players who have been on the 25-man roster have earned $39.43 million through 45 games; the $6.08 million represents more than 15% of that.

Last year, the New York Mets lost nearly $55 million to injuries, representing about 37% of their total payroll for the season. The 2008 Mets weren’t too fortunate, either — they lost more than $27 million, about 20% of their payroll. (Via Jeff Zimmerman, Beyond the Box Score)

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3 comments

Steve-O-

Going down the list of starters that have been or are on the DL is scary to say the least. In fact looking at the names it is kind of amazing the Phillies still lead the NL east. I am optimistic in thinking the future will be much brighter once Lidge, Happ and Rollins are healthy and we are not faced with depending on Castro, Baez and Kendrick etc to contribute to winning baseball.